Assignment
by IdiotFromOsaka
Summary: A young Anahisa Rumiku is on her way to her first job. It's strange enough that her first job is as a time-traveler, but meeting that old woman and her husband? Things get even stranger. Mikuru's POV, ONESHOT


_Hi, IdiotFromOsaka here. This is my second fanfiction, starring the one and only Mikuru-chan. also, I just recently changed my pen name, but don't worry, this will be the last time (I just didn't like my last one much.) So anyway, hope you enjoy my story, which I am very proud of. (Also, I somehow wrote it in only two days, which is a first for me.) Anyway- Onward!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but a computer and some manga._

**Assignment**

**by IdiotFromOsaka**

My cheeks were sore. Almost as bad as that time my little brother socked me in the face on accident. Maybe I should stop smiling. Yeah, I should.

I downgraded the huge grin on my face to a content little smile, mouth closed. I could barely keep my happiness contained. I mean, you'd be pretty well excited to if you were in my position I bet.

Today's the day. _The _day. The day of my first assignment!

Oh, sorry! I must of confused you. Maybe I should elaborate? Well, it started back in March, I believe. That phone call.

_The incredibly irksome ringing of the telephone echoed throughout the hallways of my family's home. "Got it!" I called. My younger brother, ten years old, sat in our family room, watching some old program (I think my grandpa had called it 'Pokemon',) on an old contraption called a _television.

_ "H-hello?" I asked as a put the small earpiece into my ear. "Anahisa residence, R-Rumiku speaking," I internally sighed at my speaking efforts. I was always nervous when talking to others it seemed. Stupid me and my natural shyness!_

_ An older woman's voice piped up on the other line. "Oh hello! Exactly who I was looking to talk to!" Her voice was nice and cheerful, as well as oddly familiar, though I couldn't seem to pin point exactly who it belonged to. "I'm from the International Time-Traveling Agency, you see. I'm sure you've heard of us."_

_ "Y-yes!" Who hadn't? Time-traveling was a big thing at the moment! All the little kids wanted to be time-travelers when they grew up, and have you seen the movie theater? I swear, half of the movies playing are about time-travel in one way or another._

_ "Heh, that's good. Anyway, Rumiku-chan," Rumiku-_chan_? I couldn't help but be surprised. I mean, it was my first time talking to the lady and she was addressing me so informally already? Of course, I said nothing about this. "we here at the Agency have been looking into you lately and decided that we would like you to come work for us. Would that be okay with you?"_

_ I didn't even have time to think about whatever 'looking into you' ment- the words just came out. "Y-yes! Of course! I accept!"_

_ The woman on the other line giggled softly. "Good. Would you mind coming by our office tomorrow with a parent? Say, around noon? Just tell the lady at the front desk your name and she'll escort you to the right room. Okay?"_

_ "Okay!"_

_ "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then! Take care Rumiku-chan!"_

_ "Y-you too!" _

_ On the other side, I heard a beeping noise, signaling that the call had ended. Slowly, I took the piece out of my ear and held it to my chest. I waited for it all to sink in. Right now, it was completely unbelievable. And then it finally hit me. I was going to be a time-traveler. _

_ Before I realized it, I was running down the hallway. "Mom! Dad! You'll never believe who just called!"_

And so, here I am now, walking to my job to finally get my first assignment! I couldn't even guess what it could possibly be. All I could recall was hearing the word 'time-quake'.

Currently, I found myself walking through a neighborhood, and an older one at that. The houses had been built over thirty years ago, and as of now, most people living in the area were young couples that didn't have a high budget to work with when buying the house, or older folks who had lived here for years.

The houses were all built country-style, with wood painted in bright colors and white window sills. They had always reminded me of the small cottages you would find in fairy tales.

I decided I might want to live in one of these houses when I was older. They always seemed so nice and cozy- _cute _even. I've always liked cute things.

Suddenly, a cry came from behind me. "Hey! You!"

I turned around to meet the gaze of an old woman, her long hair beginning to grey, held up in a ponytail and tied with a sleek yellow ribbon. Her eyes were open wide, as if she were surprised to see me. "W-wait right there!" she yelled, and darted into the light blue house behind her.

The woman returned with a man by her side, his hairline receding. A grumpy look sat on his face as he was pulled along by his sleeve.

"Look Kyon! You gotta see this! She looks just like Mikuru-chan, I swear!" The woman told the older man, who was apparently called Kyon. That's such a funny nickname!

All I could say in response was a startled "Eh?"

"Haruhi," Kyon groaned, "Stop yelling already, you'll scare the poor girl."

The older woman, officially named Haruhi, stared at me for one long second before she apologized. "Ah, sorry." But Kyon-san couldn't keep her under control for long, because as soon as she had seemed to calm down, she was full of energy once again. "But aren't I right? She looks exactly like Mikuru-chan did when we first met her!"

Kyon-san cocked his head to the side, looking at me a bit more intently now. "Hey, yeah, I guess you're right. She _does _look a lot like Asahina-san."

"Didn't I tell you? I bet she'd look really good in a maid outfit too."

I think I squeaked at that last statement. "I-I'm sorry," I said, "but my name isn't A- Asahina Mikuru…"

Haruhi-san smiled brightly. "Oh, we know! Mikuru-chan is about our age now!" Her hand slid down Kyon-san's arm to meet his hand, which she grasped lightly. "So where're ya going mini-Mikuru?"

Mini-Mikuru? That's a first. "Umm, my name is Anahisa Rumiku actually…. A-and I'm going to my first job!" The smile I once tried to hide was unleashed, and my cheeks were starting to hurt again.

"Really?" Kyon-san asked. "Where do you work?"

"I hope it's at that maid cafe!" Haruhi-san interjected. "She'd look good in one of those uniforms, I bet."

"A-ah, not at the cafe actually," I confessed. I was pretty sure it was safe to tell them my job, as long as I didn't go into details. "I'm working f-for the ITTA."

Haruhi-san gasped. "Tha- that's that time-traveling place, isn't it?" She turned to Kyon-san. "Kyon! She's a time-traveler!"

"W-well not yet…"

She kept on talking. "Kyon, why couldn't you be a time-traveler?"

"Because then I couldn't be your husband." Ah, so they're husband and wife? I couldn't help but notice how cute they were as they bickered.

"Why not?"

"Because then, in this time, I'd be her age and you'd be… you know."

"I would've fallen in love with you much faster- Hey! Are you saying I'm old?"

"We're both old Haruhi."

"No, you're old. I'm not."

"We are the _same age._"

"So?"

Kyon-san just sighed. I giggled.

"Well, good luck with all your time-traveling stuff!" Haruhi-san hollered. "And if you go to the past, be sure to look us up! Suzumiya Haruhi and Kyon!"

Is Kyon his real name? For his sake, I hope not.

I nodded to the woman and grinned. "I-I'll try!" I waved to the old couple, and they sent me on my way. My smile got even wider. Agh, my cheeks hurt.

I reported to the office of my boss, a woman who I simply called Kumiru-san (I don't actually know her real name). She stood behind her desk, long, chestnut hair swaying. I always thought that Kumiru-san was very pretty. We were similar looking I guess (coincidence, obviously, though I always wondered if the two of us shared family), but while I was usually just considered 'cute' and often was mistaken for a middle schooler, Kumiru-san's body was long and shapely, what many guys would call 'sexy'. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous.

"Okay Rumiku-chan, are you ready to know your first mission?" Kumiru-san's voice was light and airy, and it carried throughout the room.

I nodded eagerly. She smiled. "Good.

"You will be traveling forty-five years into the past to investigate a time-quake three years prior to your destination. We believe that the source of this disturbance is a 15-year-old girl named Suzumiya Haruhi, who you will observe."

Haruhi Suzumiya? That… It's just a coincidence. It is, right?

"You will be posing as a second year student at North High and be going by the name…. Um, let me see…" Kumiru-san thumbed through a file. "Ah! Yes, here it is. You'll be using the pseudonym Asahina Mikuru."

I nearly fainted.


End file.
